I remember when Martin Luther King Day was first declared aFederal holiday, how Arizonas Governor Meecham repealed theprevious governors establishment of the holiday there, and howJesse Helms led opposition to it in Congress, on the groundsthat King was unpatriotic, a Communist sympathizer, and notimportant enough to be honored with a holiday.

We all knew what they really meant, just as I knew what thechildhood friend who dismissed it as a black holiday wascalling black people in the privacy of his own mind. It was the1980s, and it was pretty clear that what people who had troublewith celebrating Martin Luther King Day really had trouble withwas racial justice.

Which is why it may seem odd that now, in the year 2016, Imhaving some trouble with Martin Luther King Day myself.

One of the more painful things Ive observed, since I beganspeaking out against racism, is the degree to which white peoplehave taken a sanitized, safe, domesticated version of MartinLuther King into our hearts. I wish I had never seen this, butIve actually seen it more times than I care to count: a blackperson speaks out against present-day racism and violence, and awhite person attempts to shame him into silence by invokingMartin Luther King and what the white person is pleased to callnon-violence.

What about riots? The white person asks.

Youre so angry! The white person accuses.

I cant support Black Lives Matter, the white person complains.It doesnt have the moral leadership of Martin Luther King.Ormy (least) favorite: What would Martin Luther King think ofwhat You People are doing? (To which the rational answerwhichI have seen madecan only be, Well never know; You Peoplekilled him.)

And the definition of non-violence gets extended, almostinfinitely, to mean no disrupting political rallies, no blockingtraffic, no making unpleasant scenes at the mall. Non-violence has become code for white people refusing to listen tolive black voices, in the name of a distorted version of a manwhose actual words we rarely bother to hear, beyond a sound-biteor two from the I have a Dream speech.

Are we honoring Dr. King? Or are pretending that his deathmarked the end of racism in America? What are we reallycelebrating herehis non-violence, or our hope to continue ourlives without being inconvenienced by protests, shamed byjustifiable anger, or disturbing life inside our comfortablewhite bubbles?

Nonviolencereal non-violencecan be assertive and disruptive ashell, something I notice a large number of us white folks dontwant to acknowledge.

Likewise, it seems as though its inconvenient for those of usliving in comfortable privilege to see that marginalization isviolence poverty is violence indifference to oppression isviolence. In fact, theres a whole range of ways it is possibleto be violent in our passivity. I hate to see us dumbing downwhat nonviolence really means, bowdlerizing the legacy of Dr.King, in the service of our immediate emotional comfort.

Post by Ronny KochI remember when Martin Luther King Day was first declared aFederal holiday, how Arizona’s Governor Meecham repealed theprevious governor’s establishment of the holiday there, and howJesse Helms led opposition to it in Congress, on the groundsthat King was unpatriotic, a Communist sympathizer, and not“important” enough to be honored with a holiday.We all knew what they really meant, just as I knew what thechildhood friend who dismissed it as “a black holiday” wascalling black people in the privacy of his own mind. It was the1980s, and it was pretty clear that what people who had troublewith celebrating Martin Luther King Day really had trouble withwas racial justice.Which is why it may seem odd that now, in the year 2016, I’mhaving some trouble with Martin Luther King Day myself.One of the more painful things I’ve observed, since I beganspeaking out against racism, is the degree to which white peoplehave taken a sanitized, safe, domesticated version of MartinLuther King into our hearts. I wish I had never seen this, butI’ve actually seen it more times than I care to count: a blackperson speaks out against present-day racism and violence, and awhite person attempts to shame him into silence by invokingMartin Luther King and what the white person is pleased to call“non-violence.”What about riots? The white person asks.You’re so angry! The white person accuses.I can’t support Black Lives Matter, the white person complains.It doesn’t have the moral leadership of Martin Luther King.Or–my (least) favorite: What would Martin Luther King think ofwhat You People are doing? (To which the rational answer–whichI have seen made–can only be, “We’ll never know; You Peoplekilled him.”)And the definition of non-violence gets extended, almostinfinitely, to mean no disrupting political rallies, no blockingtraffic, no making unpleasant scenes at the mall. “Non-violence” has become code for white people refusing to listen tolive black voices, in the name of a distorted version of a manwhose actual words we rarely bother to hear, beyond a sound-biteor two from the “I have a Dream” speech.Are we “honoring” Dr. King? Or are pretending that his deathmarked the end of racism in America? What are we reallycelebrating here–his non-violence, or our hope to continue ourlives without being inconvenienced by protests, shamed byjustifiable anger, or disturbing life inside our comfortablewhite bubbles?Nonviolence–real non-violence–can be assertive and disruptive ashell, something I notice a large number of us white folks don’twant to acknowledge.Likewise, it seems as though it’s inconvenient for those of usliving in comfortable privilege to see that marginalization isviolence… poverty is violence… indifference to oppression isviolence. In fact, there’s a whole range of ways it is possibleto be violent in our passivity. I hate to see us dumbing downwhat nonviolence really means, bowdlerizing the legacy of Dr.King, in the service of our immediate emotional comfort.

You can 't dmb it dow becase it's too simple: We are mpved by theparallels with th New Testament. You preach your sermon, you get killedfor it and that helps spread your message even farther. Not many of ushave the couraage to go that route.